Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule
2 days ago
- Programmers and makers prefer the 'maker's schedule,' which requires long, uninterrupted blocks of time (half a day or more) for productive work, while managers operate on the 'manager's schedule,' with hourly slots.
- Meetings are particularly costly for makers, as a single meeting can disrupt a full afternoon or even a whole day by breaking work into small, ineffective chunks.
- Conflicts arise when the two schedules meet; powerful people on the manager's schedule can force makers to adapt, but smarter managers understand the need for extended work periods.
- Y Combinator operates on the maker's schedule, using 'office hours' (clustered at the end of the day) to simulate the manager's schedule without causing interruptions.
- Speculative meetings (e.g., 'grab coffee') are free for managers but costly for makers, leading to a dilemma of either losing work time or offending others.
- Offering a third option, the author suggests writing about the schedule conflict to raise awareness, hoping for broader understanding and compromise.